Apartment buildings are fascinating subjects. This one is located on a pedestrian street in Guilin, China, not far from the Li River, and a short walk from the main city square. The building has features that are similar to others I have described for Macau
apartments-in-macau
in previous postings to this blog – mainly middle-class dwellings with balconies, weather stains, metal windows, and air-conditioners.
In Asian cities, laundry hung to dry in balconies is a common sight, and this is visible in the balconies in the picture.
This building is unusual in that one level above where the shops are located is a raised sidewalk with a wrought iron railing and street lamps. On this level, which can be described as the ground floor for the residents of the building, there are no balconies, but instead the sidewalk provides a space wide enough for a children's swing to be installed. It also allows tenants to engage in commercial activities, the "Lady Keep Slim" shop being one colorful example.
The sign outside this establishment advertises membership rates ranging from 5 to 300 yuan, for different services and times. It is a fitness club, and the slim young woman pictured in the sign may be typical of the clientele. The two young women approaching from the left seem to be going shopping rather than to the club.
Under the awning to the right of the air-conditioner hang a striped red and white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, which probably belong to someone inside the club, perhaps the owner or a worker. The blue-green door is not the one used for the club's clients; they enter through the glass door with the metal collapsible gate to the left of the sign. There is a red welcome mat outside.
To all appearances the fitness club is for women only. It does not, however, seem to be very busy.
